The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, February 21, 1912, Image 1
ioutljron
'i. ?.? MTKIt WATCHMAN. BMaatfeihed April. IHtMt
Consolidated Auk 3.1881
llr .hint and Fear not?I*t all tbe ends Thou Alms'! at be thy Country's, Thy (iod'a and Truth'* "
THE TKVV. SOI TIIUON EatatlLshed June, t
UMTER, S C, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1912
Vol. XXXIII. No. 61.
TIE 10DD CLAIM IS ILLEGAL
INVESTIGATION lOMMITTKa
M VKI s ITS ItttPOKT.
THIn ol Chart KxccuUve's Connection
With Vatur a* Brought Out in
O'nftlcttug Tv?eim?>nf.
vtriwi ?uinoniy irnm me
|JfrS Cfea4?nT>n, with the ?ub -<
Hpkil?viA JMfA aaratariaty
f?
Columbia. Feb. 17.--The house re?
ceived last night tho report of the
special committee' hp >ointed to in
reatlgaUj the Todd claim for $13,6R0
for preparing plana proposing to en?
large the State houre. The report M>f
the committee devlareN that A. W.
Todd a?:ted knowingly without au?
thority of law in drawing up the plans
for which he demand! payment and
that hie claim is not baaed on legal
grounds
The report wax ordered printed in
the Jcutnal together with the steno?
graphic copy of the volumiious tes?
timony upon which It la base I.
The report is signed by the mem?
bers of the investigating committee.
L. M. Casque, chairman; R. B. Bel
ser. secietary: J. R. Connor; J. H.
Miller at>d J. W. Boyd.
The finding* of the committee, ap?
pended :o a review of th' testimony
and the authority under which the in?
vestigation was conducted, are given
below:
"(I). That the members of the
comraltt* on Statu houae and
grounda who attended any of the
meetings, conducted the Important
mattere with which they were en?
trusted sith an absolute disregard
of all methods of business procedure
ana] without any effort to keep any
proper record of their proceedings;
and the ack of such records 1* a seri?
ous handicap to any proper determi?
nation of the lasuea Involved.
"(I). That the chairman of the
committee on State houue and grounda
proceed*-1 In thta matt?r without ob?
taining any written authority from
the governor, and that whatever ver?
bal authority he received waa never
transmitted to the committee aa a
whole; ind that, acting under this
BUeWhal authority from the governor.
-committee
exceeded
^flkat authority In engairlng ah archi?
tect to pirepare and present plana and
epeclflcationa not contemplated under
the reaol Jtlon from which he received
his authority.
"(I). That Mr. Todd entered upon
the preparation for the plans for the
enlarged State house, and that the
major p* rt of the plaris and specifi?
cations were prepared by Mr. Todd
without t?ny proper authority being
given the committee to engage hla
services for any purpose, under the
concurrent resolution paased at the
last aaaslon of the legislature; and
(bat the plans and specifications as
prepared and presented to the meet?
ing of the committee on September
37th. 1*11. were never contemplated
by the general aaaembly at the time
of the passage of the resolution or
by the committee on St it* house and'
grounda at the time of the appoint?
ment of the aub-comm tee.
"(4). That the only connection the
governor had with this matter, either
before or after his letter of authority
to the chairman on July 26. 1911, and
tho alleged verbal authority to Mr.
Bryan during the 1911 ?ession of the
legislature, was at the meeting In his
office on September 27. 1911. at which
meeting the governor was present
most of the time but took no material
part In the conference and discussions
other then to state that Mr. Todd'*
plans were beautiful and! if the legls
lusture would pas* a bill authorizing
such Improvements he would he glad
to ?tgn the bill, and to comment on
what he conaldered to he an exorbi?
tant expenditure by the commlttoe In
appropriating 11.00ft for Mr. Todd'*
'educational campnlgn.' There in aome
testimony showing that the suhle? t
matter of the contract to be entered
Into between the w?t?. ?.mmlttee and
Mr. Todd was flagajajgd] at the niift
Ing but th?. written < <?r tract entered
Into between ' these parties wax not
prepared or entered Into in his office
??r in his presence, and that the actual
preparing and signing t| Hag contract
?1I?1 not take plnce until *o?ne time
after the meeting of the 27th of |gf
tem her.
"<s.> We find th ?? V W Todd was
celled In by the chairman of the aajsg
mitte? on State bouse ind ground*
? t ||tf ni. . ting wh. I Oi n^derlng the
governor's mcs*ng?\ before the reso?
lution of Mr Dlxon bad been pre?
pared or Introduced: that be wn? in
onaultatlon with the committee at
each meeting, end being a aggaghaf
of the legislature of \\ years' ex
isariefjgg must have heen fullv aware
tha? the message of the governor, and
the resolution of the general a*** >m
h?r did not autborlr.. o- contemplate
the enlargement of the house
BLEASE TURNER DOWN.
S F.NATE HESFSES 1X> CONFIRM
AfNUnm OF tiOVERXOH.
Magistrate* In Spartanburg to Hold
Office?Salary Question Not Yet
'Xvlded.
Columbia, Feb. 17.?The contro?
versy between the governor and sev?
eral county delegations with'reference
to the appointment of magistrates
was officially brought to an end in j
the senate yesterday, during an exe- J
cutive session, when the body re?
fused to confirm the appointees of
the governor. The greatest number
of cases decided were from Spartan
burg county. The matter was pre?
sented to the senate by Senator Car
lisle on behalf of the Spartanburg
delegation. The contention of the
delegation was upheld. This means
that the hold-over magistrates will
remain In office, the senate having ,
r -fused to recognize the magistrates
named by the governor without re?
gard for the recommendation of the
county delegation. The senate also
refused to confirm the appointees of
the governor in Beaufort and Ander?
son counties.
DAYLIGHT ROBBERIKS IN NEW
YORK. j
f
Two More Daring Coups Added to List
of Hold-ups in Gay Gotham.
New York. Feb. 16.?Recent high?
way robberies in crowded New York
streets, of which yesterday's "Wild
West" hold-up of a taxicab and the
robbery of two bank messengers of
K25,000 in cash, was the most sensa?
tional in years, were followed today
and tonight by other hold-ups almost
as spectacular. In the last of these,
reported tonight. George Horth, a
dealer In diamonds, was robbed by
two men, who Jumped from a taxicab
at Thirty-fifth street and Fifth ave-1
nue.
Horth was beaten over the head by
one of the men, while the other
snatched the wallet from his Inside
coat pocket. The men then Jumped
back Into the taxicab, which disap?
peared in the mase of Fifth avenue
traffic. Horth, his head showing se?
vere contusions, reported his loss lo
the police.
The earlier robbery occurred in the
Bronx In broad daylight, when Wil?
liam Dougherty, messenger for a
business firm. was attacked by a
youth of 18, It is claimed, and rob?
bed of $340, his Arm's payroll, which
he was bringing from a bank.
The robbery took place in a vacant
lot and Dougherty's assailant escaped.
Scores of business men and back?
ers made application at police head?
quarter* today for permits to carry
revolvers.
SIGHT RETURNS AS SUDDENLY
AS IT DISAPPEARED.
' Woman Singer Was Stricken Blind In
? Theatre, Oculist** Having Little
Hope.
Ann Harbor, Mich., Feb. 14.?Mrs.
F. L. Hamilton, of Battle Creek.
Mich., who suddenly became blind a
i
week or two ago while singing in a
moving picture show, has regained
her sight as unexpectedly as she lpst
it.
Several oculists had pronounced
the trouble an affection of the optic
nerve and gavo slight hope for re
' covery.
While waiting in a hotel here for
i
her husband, who had gone to the
hospital to make nrra ngemcn t s for
further treatment, her sight sud?
denly returned.
for which he prepared the plans;
I therefore, he acted knowingly without
mthorlty of law, and upon a mere
chulic? that the general assembly
I wotiId accept his plans, and which, if
j asv?'|?t...i. o/ould inure greatly to his
financial benefit He must haVl
known that unless tili general assem?
bly should authorize the extensive
I uildlng as suggested by his plans, his
plane end model would be worthless
to the BtatO, and with this In View he
u 11 trying t.? commit the general ae?
semhly to thi< expenditure, He i n
called upon io produce his voucher!
showing the amount of money ? \
pended i>v him covering his alleged
expense! and disbursements. but
failed lo produce ? tingle vouches or
Item, end openly stated thai he would
Iabandon his claim of I3ftt for Alleged
traveling expeneea He further elated
I hat he had epem |S?*00, bnl when
called upon f<>r vouchers felled lo
produce smy. \w lheref< re find no
leg;t| grounds on Which Mr. Todd ?nil
be i ? cinim egalnst the Btat ? for hli
services in preparing the pleni for the
enlarged oapllol building."
WORK OF THE LEGISLATURE.
SESSION WILL BE KKSl'MKl) ON
WEDNESDAY.
Failing to. Complete Business of
Present Session Witiiin Time l*re
scrll>cd by Constitution, Both
HmiMS Agree to Meet Again
Wednesday Night to Consider Veto
Message and Other Matters Re?
maining for Attention?Session in
May Now Seems Unlikely.
Columbia, Feb. 17.?According to
the usual custom, and the contem?
plation of the Constitution, this
would have been the last day of the
legislative session. It will not be.
Both the House and Senate have
agreed that when they recede from
business today, which is more likely
to be Sunday morning than Saturday I
noon, that they will return on Wed- .
' na9day evening at 8 o'clock, for the
purpose of considering any veto mes?
sages and clearing up the decks. The
House has agreed to a May session,
but tho Senate has left this resolu?
tion in abeyance, and it is altogether
' possible that when the House meets
; on Wednesday and concludes the
? work that might then be In hand,
. that it will dispose of sufficient mat
! ters to dispense with the May meet
| ing. Of course, it will take a concur
! renco between the House and Senate
for the House or Senate to hold the
May meeting after a brief session
that is planned for next week, begin?
ning on Wednesday night. A num
i
her of members have already asked
to be excused from further attend?
ance upon the session.
During the early part of the day It
was thought that the appropriation
bill would not find its way back to
'. the House today at all, but just be
I fore dinner the announcement was
j made that the appropriation bill
, would be expected back from the
Senate tonight, and that It was pos?
sible that It could be acted upon
finally and be placed in the hands of i
the Governor before the receas until |
Wednesday at 8 o'clock.
The House did not do very much
today further Jha? to receive reports
from committees, except that it pass?
ed the Charleston dock commission
bill. When the bill was taken up this
morning the opposition to it was so
quiet that the impression got. out
that a compromise had evidently been
agreed upon, but such dos not seem
to have been the case, further than
the adoption of tho amendment al?
lowing the right of appeal to the
courts. The bill as agreed upon will
go back to the Senate for concurrence
In the House amendments.
Senator Christensen had a bill by
which all persons who are not citizens
of the United States, and who have
not expressed a desire to become clti
zons, are debarred from participation
in the primary. This bill received Its
second House reading today, with
practically no opposition.
There was a lively tilt over the pas
j aage of the bill to wind up the rem?
nants of the dispensary. The bllj
passed exactly as It came from the
Senate.
The House by a decisive vote re?
fused to take up the bill pending for
the adoption of the Code.
Awaiting Conference Report.
Columbia, Feb. 17.?The appropri-j
atlon bill went to free conference at
9.15 o'clock tonight with Messrs.
Mauldin, Hardin and McKeown, on
tho part of tho Senate, and Messrs.
Browning, Kirkland and Cary, for
the House. It now appears to be a
waiting proposition on the committees
that are out with hills in free con?
ference. No new business can be
underta ken.
The Senate adopted the amend?
ment of the finance committee to
the appropriation bill, striking out
the appropriation of $r?o,ooo for the
building of a new auditorium for the
University of South Carolina, hut it
allowed 115,000 for i heating plant
for the entire University) und $r>,
ono for the extension of the stewards
of the stewards hall. There was
considerable opposition to this action,
several Renators holding thai the Unl
verslty needed dormitory rooms and
could use Ihe old chapel f<>r this.
Members of the finance committee
?aid thai President Mitchell had been
aaked which he preferred. th?> audi?
torium or tin- heating plant, He said
he \\'?uid prefer the heating plant,
I i'i?r Winthrop College the commit*
tee amended the bill bo aa t.? allow
I $1,700 for extension w'ork In house?
hold economics and home and rural
school sanitation. An increase n.
|K00 w it also allowed for tio> sal an
I of the professor of nature study.
The committee rcommended tho.
the Item of the appropriation bill n
11 mim? for tin < fonfederate I torn
College, In Charleston, i?e tabled, but
after considerable debate, the ap?
propriation was allowed. The reason
given for not allowing this was that
it was not constitutional to allow an
amount for such an institution. Sev?
eral Senators referred to the Thorn
well orphanage, stating that it was
one of the best orphanages of the
State, and had no State aid and that,
likewise, the Charleston home should
not receive State aid. Those Senators I
who favored the appropriation held
that the Charleston institution is not
of any denomination, but is an insti?
tution resulting from the Confederacy,
in which this State was a leading fac?
tor. Senator Young moved to table
the amendment to disallow the ap?
propriation, and this prevailed.
Under consideration of the amount
allowed the board of pardons, Sena?
tor Appelt moved to strike out the
Item, stating that the Governor had
not heeded the recommendations of
this board, and he did not see why j
It could not be abolished. This was
opposed on the ground that the board
was bound by law to meet, and money
should be appropriated for its ex?
penses. Senator Hardln said he would
v
oppose this because by such action
the Senate would be approving of the
I Governor's actions. The motion was
lost.
Under the head of miscellaneous
I appropriations the Senate amended
j the bill so as to allow $5,000 for the
expense of the legislative dispensary
windlng-up committee, $400 for liti?
gation expenses for the "Ansel" dis?
pensary commission, and $130,000
for the expense of the newly created
State warehouse system.
An amendment was adopted to the
section of the appropriation bill re?
lating to the railroad commission to
pay $1,800 annually to a railroad in?
spector.
When considering the appropriation
for the office of State game warden,
Senator Appelt moved to strike out
the appropriation for the office, stat?
ing that he was opposed to the of?
fice, thinking it useless. The amend?
ment was tabled?25 to 8.
The appropriation for the salary of
the State geologist was tabled, this
x*.!fice having recently been abolish?
ed.
The Senate appropriated the $10,
000 for the National Corn Exposition,
but amended it so as to strike out the
lines which stated that this should
be distributed by R. It. Herbert, F.
S. Terry and F. L. Brown.
Under consideration of the allow?
ance for the board of medical exam?
iners, Senator Young moved to dis
I allow the entire appropriation, he
j and Senator Crosson charging that
I the boaro was a farce and its meth
1 ods obsolete. The motion, however,
was withdrawn.
Adjourns Until Wednesday.
Columbia, Feb. 17.?Without wait?
ing for ihc report of the free confer?
ence committee on the general appro?
priation bill, the House of Repre?
sentatives adjourned tonight it 11:30
o'clock, upon motion of Dr. Olin Saw?
yer, of Georgetown, who objected to
remaining so late, in view of the fact
that the General Assembly will re?
turn next week. The House now
stands adjourned until 8 P. M. Wed?
nesday, and not until that time can
the appropriation bill be adopted as
amended by the committee.
It was hoped that the appropri?
ation bill might be ratified and sent
down to the Governor before the
week's work was concluded, in order
that any objections which he might
make might be coneldered es soon as
the houses reconvened Wedneeduy
night Affairs have not turned out as
expected, however, it is undeT stood
that the free conference committee
on the appropriation bill is tied up
on several important mattere.
The Senate also adjourned tonight,
without waiting for the report, and
it cannot be made until next Wedhee
day.
RI AL REVOLT IN MEXICO,
Unofficial Observers Think The] Con
Htltute Rebellion,
Mexico City, Feb. 18.?Emllo Vas
ques Gomel's frank public declare*
tion that he will accept the provision*
:?1 presidency in caee tin* rebels sue*
ceed In forcing Frnn< leco [, Madero
from the national palace has gone
far toward convincing unofficial reel*
dents of the capital thai a general
rebellion 1 In progress, Mexican of?
ftcials, however, continue to charac?
terize as local disorders everj insur?
rection l" the country.
Although rebels ere operating In
i 3 States ,thc department of Interior
continues to give out newi denying
trouble in i great part of these.
HOUSE ADOPTS RESOLUTION TO
TAKE KKCKSS UNTIL MAY.
Senate's Concurrence Necessary,
However, to Carry Out Plans?Re.
cess Advocates Argue Against
Adoption of Code at Present Sit?
ting and Vetoed Acts May Need Af.
tention Later.
Columbia. Feb. 16.?The House
spent most of the day in the consid- j
eratlon of the resolution offered
through the judiciary committee, rela. j
tive to taking a recess. Under the
terms of the resolution It is proposed
to recede from business tomorrow at
noon (this may mean Sunday morn?
ing) and return to Columbia the lat?
ter part of May for the transaction
of such business as may then be on
hand.
I As a complement to this resolut' v.
which was adopted after an a1 N
fight, the House cleared its Cale
j entirely of all second reading biil3,
and the indications are that nothing
further in the matter of legislation
will be undertaken. The opposition
j to the recess until May was consider?
able, but a majority of the House
J thought it the better plan. Of course,
the resolution has to be concurred in
by the Senate. The opponents of the
recess idea argue that the Senate will
not agree to the resolution, but will
I Adjourn sine die tomorrow, or pos?
sibly some day next week.
CRISP STILL HOLDS OFFICE.
Blease's Message of Cliarges Against
^Magistrate are Witjulrawn.
j ??
I Columbia, Feb. 17.?Following the
withdrawal of the governor's message
j announcing the dismissal and charges
preferred against A. P. Crisp, magls
? tr?te for Oconee county, at Walhalla,
I the Senate today in executive session
reconfirmed his appointment as mag
' lstrate.
j Magistrate Crisp was removed from
office by the governor February 13.
? The governor ?aid in .his letter of dbs
I missal, "For divers good and suffi
I cient reasons, I have this day sus
I pended and removed you from the
i office of magistrate for Oconee qoun
I ty, at Walhalla. S. C. your commis?
sion heretofore issued February 16,
has been revoked."
The governor, in his letter, also
asked that the books and papers of
the office be turned over to the clerk
? of court of Oconee.
I George L. Wilson was appointed to
take the place of Magistrate Crisp.
The nomination was sent to the Sen?
ate by the governor. The Senate did
not confirm the appointment of Mr.
Wilson. The matter created a great
stir in Walhalla, and letters were sent
to the governor from the members of
the Walhalla bar, with a petition
signed by all but one member of the
bar that Magistrate Crisp Is an able
and conscientious official.
Senator Earle. of Oconee, wished
the magistrate removed.
CONVENIENT SCHEDULE AT TIN
DAL.
People in Tiiulal Pleased with Change.
Personal News.
Tlndal, Feb. 17.?Very little farm
work has been done In this section,
on account of the continued had
weather.
Practically no oats have ben plant?
ed.
The roaus are In bad condition,
caused by the heavy rains.
Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Tlndal have
been spending several days in Char?
leston and on the islands, they re?
turned home on Friday.
The change of the schedule on the
Northwestern railroad makes it very
convenient for parties living In this
section to spend the day in Bumter
and return home In the afternoon.
Mr. T. B, Hodge spent Tuesday and
Wednesday of thll Week in Charit s
ton.
Mrs. Harry Hodge spent last week
With relatives In Monroe. N. C,
Feeding the Waste Basket.
\ communication, dated Tlndals
and postmarked Manning, comment*
Ing on the Northwestern Railroad
schedules ,M,V Sumter Chamber of
Commerce and ??ber matters, has
been received. A i It Is unsigned, it
will be consigned to Ihe waste basket,
as it is our rule to publish no anon)
mous communication, if our modest
correspondent will sign his name to
his contributions, h i articles will be
printed, bul nol otherwise.
law GOBI into effect in si m
mkr.
Hi wigm il to Put Kn<f to Retting on
Races In State?Ratified Thursday
Night.
Columbia, Feb. 17.?The governor
signed the anti-racing bill yesterday,
following its ratification by the gener?
al assembly Thursday night. The
measure was passed by the legisla?
ture after being amended so as to
eliminate the injunction feature, and
is designed tr 'it an end to betting
on horse rr , South Carolina.
The prov' % A the bill become ef?
fective Jf y 1.
Tr $r rnor wrote the following
no' _-r his signature, "If my sen
v endment as to the 'Charleston
^v ft club' had been sustained this
would not be necessary."
The title of the bill is :"To prevent
betting, pool-selling, bookmaking,
bets or wagers and to provide punish?
ment for such offenses and to de?
clare same or any of them a common
nuisance."
The anti-racing measure was intro?
duced in the house by Mr. Osborne of
Spartanburg and Mr. Erckmann of
Charleston.
NEW YARD TO BE BUILT SOON.
Work Decayed now Because of Lock
of Materials?May Start Work Ar?y
Time.
The work on the new freight yard
to be constructed by the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad Company has
not yet commenced although it may
be commenced at any time was the
information ascertained today fn?m a
railroad officials in fhis city. At pres?
ent the work is being delayed be
. cause of lack of the necessary mater?
ials, which are expected at any time
and as soon as they arrive the work
will be commenced.
The materials which are lacking
are crosstles, some are already on
the ground but not sufficient for the
I work, and switches and the necessary
j adjuncts for installing them. The
I agent, Mr. Boney, stated Monday
! morning that Mr. Hare was here last
week to see about the work which is
to be commenced soon. The railroad
j is to have the work done, employing
its own men to do it.
As there are twelve tracks to be,
laid and quite a number of switches
i it will probably take some time to
complete the work. It seems now
that If the work is not commenced
soon the road will not be in a position
to have the use of these new tracks
during the fertilizer season, which
, would go far toward preventing con?
gestion and in aiding the crews on the
shifting engines in their work during
t the heavy .^ason.
-i
TO RETAIN SAME COUNSEL*
House Provides for Defence of Old
Winding-Cp << Munition.
Columbia, Feb. 17.?There was a
pretty fight on the bill to prov.de for
the winding-up coumission and it
was passed. The bill provides that
the counsel of the old commission,
under fire be retained r.nd be paid out
of the dispensary fund recovered. Mr.
K. P. Smith wanted the fee fixed r.t
10 per cent and did not want the
House to provide for the employment
of any one of its members as counsel,
or that the bill say who shall be em?
ployed.
Mr. Stevenson stated ihst as he had
been through the dispensary fire
and knew the fa* ts, that he w ould
give the real facts. Mr. fit eis neon ex
plained that h< bad l ern employed by
the original winding-up commission
and that h ? was not then a member.
He and Mr. Abney, with the Attorney
Qenaral, had fought the liquor houses
through every court end wan the
funds ROST in the treasury. Counsel
for this tight hed been paid by the
liquor houses ngainst whom the ooste
were imposed. The Stato hail recov?
ered S-i.ooo f.. m the Carolins fJhnsi
Company, This money was in the
treasury and noa thai the members
of the oi.i wlndlng-up commlas?M
ers being sued p< rsoi iiy it was sag
natural that the} should seek the
counsel and defence of Mr. Abatf,
their chief counssl in the original
ti^ht. and that he had been eSSOClstsd*
?is be h id ho? n in the original
fight The fee had bees Used :?ni
was $1,(60, and this e/as to be paid
out of the |il,#0t recovered from
the Carolins GH ass Company. The
1 t'.??, fixed was Ii M than 10 per e?nt.
I The bouse by e Note of It to is
killed Mr. Smlth'e Amendments
and ft?|ly sustained lite Mcvfcssg ttf
Ifr, Sv en-on and the bill WSS pn?S>
d o\ i v\j si it i.es . re i